4 Essential Steps to Adding a Crafting Nook to Your Apartment

• Use a corner desk. Make the most of the underutilized corners in your apartment with a desk specifically designed to fit in this space. This can make your crafting area feel more purposeful, while also lending you greater concentration when various sources of distraction are present.
• Opt for comfortable, but purposeful seating. The type of chair you use will likely depend on which crafts you intend to pursue. A glider or laid-back armchair works nicely for knitting or crocheting, but scrapbooking may call for a desk chair. Choose something with plenty of support, so you can craft for hours without feeling uncomfortable.
• Seek attractive storage solutions. Your nook will feel more like your own special space if storage is purposeful and chic — not haphazard. To achieve this end, use cute shelves, cubbies or even a mobile cart with supplies carefully organized. Don’t be afraid to add knick-knacks or personal touches to make the space your own.
• Don’t forget lighting. Quality lighting is critical for success with your most intricate crafts. The right desk lamp can make all the difference, as can a floor lamp. Magnifying lamps, in particular, are valuable for many types of crafts, as they allow you to see detail and make the most of your fine motor skills.

With the right furniture and accessories, you can easily create a place that is both peaceful and productive. A little initial effort will ultimately result in a cozy crafting nook, where you feel perfectly at home.

At South Side Flats, we’re all about helping you achieve your dream life in your apartment. Contact us today to learn more about our spacious floor plans and our range of amenities.

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Stock Up on Cleaning Supplies

One of the best ways to avoid stress before a holiday gathering is to be prepared. Don’t wait until the last minute to find out that you’re out of disinfectant spray or low on paper towels. Stock up on cleaning supplies ahead of time so you’ll be all set to clean the day before or the day of your gathering.

Bathroom Cleaning

You don’t have to do deep cleaning in every part of your apartment before having company over for a holiday dinner, but the bathroom is an exception. Wipe down and disinfect your sink and toilet to avoid the spread of germs. Use different wipes or cloths on each surface so you won’t just be moving germs from one area to another. Have soap and clean towels available for your guests.

Kitchen Cleaning

Your kitchen is another important area to focus on before guests arrive, especially since you’ll be preparing food there. Sweep and mop the floor to get rid of crumbs and grime. Disinfect your kitchen counters and stove with wipes or cloths to remove germs.

Living Room Cleaning

Your guests will probably spend the most time in your living room before and after dinner. Vacuum your carpet and furniture to remove pet hair, dust, and other particles. Run a cloth over shelves and other surfaces to get rid of dust.

Dining Area Cleaning

Having a clean place for enjoying your holiday food is important in order to lower the risk of illness. Give your dining room or kitchen table and chairs a good cleaning to eliminate germs, as well as crumbs and dust. Covering your table with a festive tablecloth can make it easier to clean up after eating.

Invite a few friends or family members over for a holiday gathering and housewarming party at your new apartment. Contact us to learn more about the floor plans and amenities for our apartments in Dallas, TX.

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Ask family members

Before you start shopping, put out the word to family members that you are interested in decorating with vintage décor. You might be surprised at the treasures that aunts, uncles, and grandparents are willing to share to make your space feel like home.

Yard sales

Garage or yard sales can be excellent sources of vintage décor if you are willing to put in a little work. For the best chances of finding vintage items, hit up sales in the suburbs. Read listings carefully to get an idea of what items are available and put together a route that allows you to make several stops in one day.

Thrift shops

Charity shops, like Goodwill or Salvation Army, can be gold mines of vintage and retro décor, especially furniture pieces. Often, thrift shop items are in less-than-perfect condition, so it helps to go in with a creative eye. If you are willing to clean, paint or repair a diamond in the rough, you could end up with a one-of-a-kind vintage item that perfectly suits your style.

Antique Shops

Though they are probably priced higher, antique shops will have a more extensive selection of vintage items than thrift shops or yard sales. Better yet, antique stores are staffed by professionals who can answer questions and help you find specific items.

Online

Finding vintage décor doesn’t always mean crawling through grandma’s attic or spending your Saturday hopping between thrift shops and yard sales. On the right sites, you can score plenty of vintage finds from the comfort of your couch. Etsy and eBay are excellent for finding good pieces at great prices. For a curated selection of high-quality items, with matching price tags, check out One Kings Lane or Jason Home.

Finding vintage items and decorating Dallas, TX apartments is a fun, creative adventure. To find a floor plan in an architecturally significant, modern home in the artsy, culturally diverse, historic Cedars neighborhood to house your collection of treasures, call South Side Flats today to schedule a showing.

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Bathroom Night Light

The toilet bowl night light illuminates things when you need to go in the middle of the night and you don’t want to wake yourself up by turning on the bathroom ceiling light. Not only is this great for you, but it’s especially convenient for your overnight guests who are less familiar with the floor plan in your Dallas apartment home.

Portable Home Projector

Have you ever wanted to show off your photos to friends and family but your phone screen was too small? Enter the portable home projector which turns any wall into a large projector screen for your phone images. Now you can have a cinema experience right in the comfort of your home with this smart gadget. 

Indoor Security Camera

If you have a babysitter or house cleaner in your apartment home and you’d like to be able to monitor activity in your absence, you might like to have an indoor security camera. These smart home gadgets enable you to see what’s happening even when you aren’t home. You can log in from your phone and watch live.

Recipe Helper

The Alexa Show is a 2^ndgeneration of Alexa that helps you while you’re cooking without having to use your hands to swipe or search. If you’re a cook, you know how hard it can be to use your tablet when your hands aren’t perfectly clean. All you have to do is to call out the recipe that you’re looking for and the Alexa Show smart gadget will pull it up for you. It will even read the recipe out loud so you don’t have to look at the screen while you’re cooking. This is one smart gadget that really does make life a breeze!

As you can see, there are many smart home gadgets to consider when you’re looking for ways to make life a little easier. To learn more about our architecturally significant, modern Dallas apartment homes in the artsy, culturally diverse, historic Cedars neighborhood, please contact us today!

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Still, it goes without saying that most of us are looking for ways to reduce our overall technology use, also known as screen time. Here are some tips and tricks for doing just that.

Top tips for reducing technology use and overall screen time

1. Keep screens out of the bedroom

“But I need my phone for my alarm clock!”

This is the most common protest to this tip; however, remember that there are actual devices called alarm clocks that can be used to great effect for waking up on time.

In addition to leaving your phone out of the bedroom, avoid bringing in tablets and laptops, and don’t have a TV there either. Books, magazines or your favorite music on the radio or an MP3 player are fine entertainment for this room, which should be an extra calming place for your senses. 

2. Find other hobbies

If you seem to spend most of your free moments browsing the web, shopping online, checking Facebook and Instagram, or playing games on your phone, find some new pastimes.

We recommend reading books or magazines, cooking or picking up a craft such as knitting or needlepoint. Of course, you can also try socializing more or getting outside for some time in nature. 

Lastly, remember that screen time often means time spent sitting down with your neck craned downward. Doctors and spine specialists claim this is one of the reasons an increasing number of people are experiencing neck and back problems. Therefore, consider replacing your screen time with exercises such as yoga or Pilates.

3. Figure out what it may be you’re trying to get away from

In some cases, using screen time is an escape that people use to avoid uncomfortable or undesirable aspects of life. This may be a difficult personal issue you’re dealing with, a boring job, or even a living space that doesn’t bring you joy. 

If it’s the latter, we can help you find an architecturally significant, modern home in the artsy, culturally diverse, historic Cedars neighborhood. Consider calling our office today to see which of our Dallas apartments floor plans we currently have available. 

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1. Lay Your Clothes Out the Night Before

It may sound like you're reverting to your childhood a bit, but your morning will go so much more smoothly when you already know what you're wearing. Whether you've got a big meeting, you're hitting the gym for a sunrise workout or you have to get the kids to daycare before the doors close, you'll be so glad you already have everything laid out and ready to throw on.

2. Make Grab-and-Go Breakfast Food

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but it's often skipped over in favor of everything else that needs to get done before noon. By stocking your kitchen with grab-and-go breakfast foods (like mini frittatas), you'll be able to scarf down some protein-packed nutrition that'll power you through the next few hours.

3. Commit to Hitting Snooze No More Than Once

Ah, that beloved snooze button. We all hit it—some of us more than others. If you absolutely need that extra seven minutes of sleep, take it, but then commit to getting up as soon as the alarm goes off again. You won't be any less groggy than you would be if you hit it 10 more times, but you'll find that you have so many more minutes on the clock to do the things you need to do. You'll start the day with less stress and maybe even feel more refreshed.

4. Make Major Decisions Before You Go to Bed

Write down your daily to-do list in the evening. Plan three things you need to accomplish the following day before lunchtime. Making too many decisions in the morning can drain your brain power and make the rest of the day difficult; knowing what you have to conquer as soon as you get up combats the feeling of becoming overwhelmed and saves strategizing for later in the day.

South Side Flats is Dallas's answer to everything you need in a great community. We invite you to swing by and discover an architecturally significant, modern home in the artsy, culturally diverse, historic Cedars neighborhood today!

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Use a Stain Removal Cleaner

While the type of stain impacts the treatment strategy, you do not want to allow stains to sit on any fabric for long. In many cases, you can use a stain removal cleaning product to remove a stain from the fabric. Keep in mind that you want to test the cleaner on the fabric using an inconspicuous area to prevent changes to the color of the garment, curtains or materials.

Blot any excess liquid or scrape off any sauces from your fabric before you work on the stain. Spray the cleaning agent directly on the stain. In the case of clothing, curtains and other fabrics you can lift easily, gently rub the area and allow the stain remover to sit for half an hour before you wash the fabric in a washing machine. For stains on upholstery, spray the cleaning agent and allow it to sit. Use a wet cloth to gently blot the area to pull up the stain.

Try Salt and Detergent

Red wine is a difficult stain to clean due to the color. When you want to clean a fresh red wine stain, put salt on the area and allow it to sit until it changes color. Fill a sink or bucket with a mixture of water and detergent. Allow the fabric to sit in the water overnight. Rinse it with fresh water and then clean the fabric in a washing machine according to the instructions for the fabric.

Dish Soap and Water

Grease stains are an annoying problem due to the fact that a stain remover may not be able to address the oil in every situation. When you have a grease stain on your fabric, rinse the stain with cold water as soon as you notice the stain. Put dish soap on the grease stain and rub the fabric gently to pull up the oil. Rinse it in cold water and check if the stain is gone. Repeat the process until you cannot see the grease stain. You can then treat the area with a stain remover and wash the fabric according to the instructions.

Keeping your fabrics clean requires a few strategies to deal with the unexpected spill or accident. By having a few solutions to remove stains, you will enjoy the look of your upholstered furniture or your favorite outfits. For more methods of cleaning apartments in Dallas or to look at an available rental, call us today.

Architecturally significant, modern home in the artsy, culturally diverse, historic Cedars neighborhood.

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Know Your Floor Plan

One of the most common causes of noise issues is putting a radio or TV right next to a neighbor's wall. Dallas apartments have a wide variety of floor plans, so make sure you know how yours is laid out. Ideally, you want to put radios, TVs, and computers against an exterior wall so they don't bother anyone. The next best option is against a wall between two of your own rooms such as between your living room and bedroom.

Aim Your Speakers

Especially if you're using a surround sound system, turning your speakers just a little could be the difference between tormenting your neighbors and allowing them to live in silence. You want to aim your speakers so the sound waves aren't traveling directly through a neighbor's wall.

In addition, don't place directional speakers backed up against a neighbor's wall. Even if the sound goes the other way, vibrations could still go through that wall. If you're not sure how to place your speakers, ask your neighbors to help you by letting you know if they can hear them.

Use Rugs and Wall Art

Even if you're a minimalist when it comes to decorations, they actually have a practical purpose. Open tile or wood floors and wide open walls allow sound to echo and more easily pass through. Even a small throw rug or painting can intercept a good chunk of the sound that would otherwise pass between apartments.

Respect Quiet Hours

During the day, the hum of air conditioners, neighbors coming and going, and your own activities can drown out many sounds. This is true even if you don't notice this background noise.

At night, as things settle down, the natural background noise turns to silence. A radio that wouldn't have been noticed during the day turns into an irritation that keeps a neighbor from falling asleep. To avoid this, be sure to respect your building's quiet hours.

Need more ideas about how to live in peace and quiet? Talk to our office today.

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Start With the Low-Hanging Fruit

If it's difficult for you to throw things away, start with the easiest items. Do you have socks with holes? An ugly sweater that was a gift that you will never wear? A trendy item that is now out of fashion? Make a pile, and donate, recycle or throw them all away.

Go Through All Your Tops at Once

Best-selling decluttering queen Marie Kondo advises going through one category of clothes at a time. Take all your tops out of your closet, dresser or wherever else they are, and put them in one place. Go through them and see which ones you still love, and get rid of the near duplicates, worn out tops and those that no longer fit. Keep only the ones that you love. Then, on another day, do the same thing with all of your pants. On another day, declutter all of your jackets, and so on.

Get Rid of Items From Your Past That You No Longer Need

If you recently moved to Dallas, Texas, from a colder climate, you don't need all your thermal underwear and heavy winter coats. If you lost a lot of weight, you don't need to hang onto the clothes that no longer fit. You don't have to save your band uniform from high school. If these items help you remember good times, take pictures of the clothes before you discard them.

Your New Home in Dallas

One of the best times to declutter your wardrobe is right before you move. If a move to Dallas, Texas, is in your future, we invite you to visit South Side Flats to see our sleek Dallas apartments in the culturally exciting Cedars district. 

Architecturally significant, modern home in the artsy, culturally diverse, historic Cedars neighborhood.

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The No Mirror Makeup Challenge

Do you have some leftover Halloween makeup sitting in a drawer? This fun challenge will help you use it up. Transform your face into a Halloween staple such as a skeleton, but there's a twist: No mirrors allowed! Try it with friends and see who does the best.

The Bob Ross Challenge

Bob Ross was the happiest little painter around, and people love his tutorials. Can you replicate one of his works? If this sounds too easy, here's the tricky part: You can only listen to his instructions. Set up your paints and easels and follow along (no peeking)!

The Whisper Challenge

This challenge works best with people who know each other well. One person puts in earbuds and plays noisy music. The other whispers to them. The challenge is to guess what they said by reading their lips. You can make this easier by setting a topic ahead of time.

The Guess the Food Challenge

This challenge has been popping up in various forms for a while now. The easy version is one person is blindfolded and fed spoonfuls of food. They have to guess what they just tasted. Need a harder version? Puree it into baby food, taking away clues of texture and separated tastes.

The 100 Layers Challenge

Welcome to one of YouTube's most-famous challenges. It started with 100 layers of nail polish and has grown into 100 layers of clothes, 100 layer nachos, and more. You can adapt this challenge to almost anything. Stuck for ideas? Get the whole family to pool their sock collection and see how far you get.

Where's the best place to get a little silly with YouTube challenges? How about at the South Side Flats apartments in Dallas, TX? We offer a wide range of floor plans and a great location. This will keep you right at the heart of Dallas's action. Visit our website now to learn more about our architecturally significant, modern homes in the artsy, culturally diverse, historic Cedars neighborhood.

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